Water heater



G. WILKES Er AI.

um: HEATER Filed Aug. 15, 1935 ?ai:enteci (kt. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Gilbert Wilkes, Jacksonwald, and Frank M. Reed,

' Clem-field, Pa.

Application August 15, 1935, Serial N0. 36,406

8* Claims. (GI. 122-26) 'I'his invention re1ates to domestic water beaters and has for an important object thereof the provision of a water heater operated by a heat p p- An important object of the invention is the provision of an arrangement such that a maximum heating efficiency may be derived from the pump.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an arrangement such that water supplies of difierent temperatures may be made available.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means whereby, during periods of excessive demand, the heat pump may be supplemented by an electrical heating unit.

These and other objects we attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings wherein, for the purpose of illustration, we have shown a preferred embodiment of our invention and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through a water heater constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a view partially in section and at 1ight angles to the view f Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on 1ine 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section online 44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical controls and connections; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the water heater casing.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral III designates a suitable base from which, through standards II, a tank base I2 is supported. This tank base, in turn, supports the main tank wall I3 and an outer cover II spaced from the main tank wall, the space between the main tank Wall and the outer cover being filled with suitable insulation not herein disclosed. The tank, adjacent its upper end, has a. horizontal partition I5 dividing the interior of the tank into upper and lower chambers IG and IT. Outlets are providecl from the upper portions of compartments I6 and I'I as indicated at I8 and I9 respectively, and an inlet 20 is provided for the lower end of compartment I'l.

Loca.ted in the space between the tank bottom I2 and the base III is a motor compressor unit 2I together with an evaporator unit 22. The outlet from the compressor enters the compartment I6, forms a, conclenser super-heat zone coil 23 in this compartment and is then 1ed downwardly through the partition I5 to a point adjacent the lower end of compartment I'I where the saturated zone coil 24 of the condenser is formed.

From this coi1 the usual connection is made to the inlet of evapora'cor 22. Transfer of liquid from compartment; I1 to compartment IG is accomplished through the nozzle 25 which is circumferentially directed in compartment I6. A thermostao 26 controls the operation of the motor compressor unit and is preferably located at a point adjacent the lower end of compartment IT where it Will be rapidly afiected by incoming cold water. Compartment I6 is provided with an electrical heating unit 21 controlled by a thermostat 28, which thermostat is preferably arranged in a circuit 29 including a manually controlled switch.

Through Segregation of the liquid in the upper part oi the tank, it is possible to maintain in the;

compartment I6 a supp1y of water at relatively high heat, say 135 to 160 degrees, while in the upper end of compartment I'I a, temperature of approximately 135 degrees will be attained. The use of the nozzle 25 insures ability to draw oft the major portion of fr1e hotter water without comingling with the replenishing liquid received from Compartment I'I, for the nozzle causes rotative motion of the incoming liquid and of the entire mass within compartment; I6 accentuating by centrifugal force the segregation resulting normally from the difierence in specific weights of the cooler and. hotter liquids, and causes the hotter liquid to rise to the domed top at the center for passage through the centrally disposecl outlet I8. As fresh water enters compartment I'I, the thermostat sets the motor compressor unit in operation and since the coil 23 in compartment I6 forms a super-heat zone and is located well toward the periphery of compartment I6 where it will immediately contact with the incoming water from oompartment I'I, the incoming water is rapidly and highly heated. The nozzle is so directed that the flow of the liquid is in counter-flow relation 120 the super-heat coil; that is Co say, it passes from the outlei; toward the inlet of the super-heat coil so that a maximum efficiency With heat exchange is provided. F01 emergency use the switch 30 may be closed so that the electric heater may supplement the action of the heat pump.

In addition to its function as a Water heating unit, the heat pump is likewise utilized in room cooling, the base structure being providecl With a grille, louvers or the like indicated a.t g and positioned 190 permit escape of the air drawn through the evaporator unit 22 by the unit fan f.

The arrangement illustrated being obviously capable of considerable modification without depaxtdng from the splrlt 012 our invention, we do not wish to be understood as llmiting ourselves thereto except as herelnafter cla.lmed.

We claim:

1. In a wa.ter heater, a. tun]: ha.ving upper und lower compartments separated by a. partitlon, mea.ns to heat the contents 013 the lower compartment, additional means to hea.t the contents o1. the upper compartment to a h1gher temperature, means to transler water from the lower to the upper compartment causing the wa.ter to rota.te in the upper oompartment, an lnlet for the lower end of the lower compartment, and a centrally dlsposed outlet in the upper end of the upper compartment.

2. In a. water hez'ater, a. tank having upper and lower compartments separated by a partltion, means to hea.t the contents of the lower compartment, additional means to heat the contents of the upper compartment to a higher temperature, means 00 transfer w'ater from the lower to the upper compartment causlng the water to rotate in the upper compartment, a n inlet for the lower end o1. the lower oompartment, a centrally disposed outlet In the upper end o1 the upper compartment, und an outlet for the upper end of the lower compartment.

8. In a, watet bester o! the type describ'ed, a tank ha.ving upper und lower compartments, an lnletnt the lower end 01 the lower compartment, an outlet for the upper end of the upper compartment, means to transfer fluid Irom the upper end cf the lower oompartment to the upper compartment and a heat pump includlng a. condenser comprlalng a. coil loca.ted in sald upper compartment, a eoll'located in the lower end 01' v the lower compartment und means to circulate a refrigerant to be condensed through said con- 4. "fixe structure o! cla.lm 1 whereln the heut- Ing means of the upper compartment comprlses a coil parallel ing the ta.nk wall a.nd through whlch a heating medlum ls clrculated und the dlrectlon of rotatlon of transferred water in the upper compartment ls counter to the dlrectlon of movement of the heatlng medlum in the coil.

5. In a. fluid heater, a. Compartment havlng a. coil paralleling the wall thereof, a. domed top 10x the compartment havlng an outlet substantially axial to the coil, means to circulate a heating medium through sald coil a.nd means to intraduce flid to sa.1d compartment constructed and arranged 120 cause the entering fluld to rota.te in the compartment in a directlon .opposlte to the dlrection of flow of heatlng medium In the coil. 6. In a. water heater of the type described, a

self-contalned un1t comprlsing a. base, a. tank,

means to support the tank in spaced relation 110 the base, a heat pump comprlsing a. motor compressor unit; und an evaporator located between the tank and base, anal a. condenser dlsposed within the tank, and an air clrculatlng me9.ns pass- 1ng alr over sa.id compressor unit a.nd to sadd evaporator. w

7. A device as claimed in cla.lm 6 whereln the tank base is engaged by a jacketlng means trapplng heated a.ir rising from the motor Comp1fess- Ing unit and bringing this a1r into heat transfer relation to the lower end 015 the tank.

8. In a. ';'vater hea.ter of the type described, a Single water-storage tank, a partltlon divldlng the ta.nk into a small upper und a, large lower compartment, the upper compartment ha.vlng a domed upper wall provided centrally with an outhat, a heat pump including a condenser coil having superheat and saturate zones. the superheat zone being disposed withln und extending circumferentlally cf the upper compartment und the satura.te zone being dlsposed wlthin the lower compartment, means to transfer fluld from the upper end of the lower to the upper compartment and a thermostatlcally controlled direct heater disposed in the upper compartment adjacent the outlet thereof.

GIL'BERT WILKES.

FRANK M.REED. 

